Filling in the Blanks

It is so wonderful to hear from everyone again! I've gotten so many thoughtful emails, and tons of questions that I hope I've been able to address adequately. One many of you have in common is, "how is her new house?" A few entries back in early spring, Mom had bought a lovely little farm house and was ready to start her life happier and healthier than ever, but alas, she had to sell the house just as quickly as she bought it. Many factors came in to play, but primarily the sale on the larger house fell through and shortly after the market got nasty. It seemed a smarter decision to sell the new house to the family she out-bid before her savings got nasty! It broke all our hearts to think we wouldn't spend this Thanksgiving in that fantastic barn, but it's now occupied by a sweet family, and Mom isn't faced with keeping up a barn home right now. In a way, it all worked out for the best.

As I understand it, Mom will revisit down-sizing from her current home once she's on stronger and healthier ground. If anyone knows a family looking for a great house in Avon, send them our way!

Good news that is sure to make Mom's recovery swift! Gwennie has arranged to complete the next few weeks of her semester in Montreal on-line so she can spend some time at home. Poor thing was only home for a week last winter, and her cheeks were double in size thanks to her wisdom teeth extraction. We're looking so forward to teaming up on the nursing responsibilities, and the best part is- she can FINALLY drive!!!

November 17, Here We Come!

Mom's scheduled for first thing, Monday Nov. 17. To use her words, she's not entirely thrilled about the whole thing, but happy they're doing it on the earlier side. In true form, Coco and I will make the early morning trek with Mom to the hospital, and then spend all day Christmas shopping at Crate & Barrel.

We have to do something to keep our minds sane.

Once we have a better sense of what resources we need to recruit, we'll let everyone know!

Mom's a Fruit

The title of my entry popped out during my conversation with Coco this afternoon when I desperately needed a laugh.

Mom went in for her 6 month post chemo CAT scan this morning, with an inkling that something might by array. Less than a week ago she paid a visit to her GYN because of some unusual post-menopausal symptoms (but I swear, she's only 47). She experienced excruciating pain and undesirable bleeding during her exam, and an ultrasound showed one ovary was double the size it should be (healthy ovaries are the size of a walnut). The day after her appointment, while I was on the phone with her, Susan Eastman showed up at her door, coffee in hand, and said, "What do we need to do!" Angel! They called St. Frannie's cancer center and made sure that they could see a gyneoncologist after seeing her kidney oncologist today.

Her oncologist who treated her after the ureter cancer, Dr. Donadio, is out on maternity leave, so she was met by a nurse practitioner and another oncologist in the practice. Turns out that the cyst is the size of a GRAPEFRUIT!

The next appointment was with Dr. Beth Nelson (who she loved immediately). She specializes in gynecological cancer, and she also reviewed the CAT scan. The ovary is enormous, there's no denying that, but she seemed positive about several things: it's very smooth and normal in shape, and it's easy to move and manipulate. The shape indicates that it could be just a fluid-filled benign cyst, and the mobility means it hasn't latched itself to anything. Additionally, the rate at which it's growing does not indicate cancer activity, more cyst-like behaviors. The CAT scan also indicated Mom has a tiny polyp on the wall of her uterus, so that was biopsied today, but cyst was left alone. Don't want to burst that bubble!

On to the plan: Dr. Nelson is going to communicate with Dr. Kennedy (Mom's tried and true kidney specialist) to coordinate a day where they can tag-team mom's belly! Because of the vast amount of scar tissue, Mom's history, and the fragile nature with which they'll have to remove the cyst, she wants to perform the surgery using da Vinci- a robot. She'd like Dr. Kennedy to place a stent in Lil' Lefty's ureter just to make sure that kidney has zero complications during surgery. Then, she'll try to remove the cyst via laprascope (less invasive) and biopsy it on the spot. Her next step will be directly based on what those instantaneous biopsy results read. Cancer? Well, the whole kit-and-caboodle might have to come out. Not cancer? She might be more conservative.

Nothing will be happening for about two weeks, given this cyst doesn't decide to burst itself. Mom needs to be off her medications and supplements for a minimum of 10 days, and then there's a matter of coordinating Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Nelson's schedule with Dr. da Vinci. They felt strongly that waiting a few weeks in order to use the very popular (very hard to book) robot would be the safest and most thorough option.

Mom's understandably overwhelmed right now, but is thankful to have some time to tie up loose ends before surgery. She and Coco are decompressing over a pot of tea right now in West Hartford.

I'll post when we have the date! In the meantime, send your good vibes and prayers Mom's way.

And if you haven't already today- VOTE!

12 Weeks Out...

And still no sign of cancer growth since mom's last CT scan!

Take That Cancer!

Mom completed her last chemo treatment exactly 6 weeks ago, and her cat scan with Dr. D today showed no tumor growth, and Dr. K reported that her bladder, and I quote, is "as clean as a whistle." Especially impressive considering her refered to her bladder not too long ago as a "battle field."

So TAKE THAT!

And she bought her new house. And she has two new kittens, Boo & Scout, and she's going on vacation next week.

Life is good.

Brain Fart

I meant to type that the house was built in 1865, and somehow it came out as the 1980's. I must have gotten distracted, because I was born in 1981, and frankly, that was enough for that decade.

Back from a lovely yoga retreat with Mom and Gwennie. We dove right in to the activity by attending a Friday night "Origami Meditation" session, whatever that is, but about half way through our session realized we were in the wrong place all together, surrounded by people who were there for a meditation retreat. Excellent start. Once we figured out how to get to the right place at the right time, the days were filled with hikes, yoga, music, and tons of delicious and healthy food.

Such a good time- would highly recommend it to anyone!

Mother's Day

Every time I've forgotten or neglected to get my mom a card for this- let's be honest- Hallmark Holiday, my mom says, "don't worry honey, you make every day mother's day."

Guilt.

Regardless of it being a ploy for people to buy sappy cards, Mom, Gwennie, and I are going all out this year at Kripalu this coming weekend. There's so much to celebrate: mom completing chemo like a champ, buying herself a new home (wait for it), and Gwennie completing her first year of college and FINALLY getting her license a month shy of 19 years old.

Looking back to early December I couldn't have ever imagined we'd be where we are. The few weeks after her last treatment, Mom suffered from days of limitless energy followed by extreme fatigue, but it's all seemed to settle out now. She's back full force at work, but trying to balance work, play, and rest at the same time.

And now for the SUPER fun part- she bought the most beautiful little dream home you could ever imagine. She'll be closing before the end of the month! Built in the 1980's, it has all the charm of the infamous "Redding House" she grew up in, with a beautiful office over-looking acres of woods, and isn't more than 3 miles from where she lives now.

Gwennie and a friend will be home living with my mom for the summer, my 10-year high school reunion is in October (during which my mom's house becomes a dormitory), and my husband's band is already planning a weekend-recording session in the barn out back (did I mention there's a fabulous barn out back?).

Already, it's filled with life and positive energy, and she doesn't even live there yet!

Lots of exciting changes to look forward to. I know she wouldn't have been able to rebound so rapidly had it not been for the safety net of support she still has around her.

But really, we knew it was meant to be Casa del Talbot when we saw this...